Ratio calculator



Oct. 20, 1936. R. E. WELLS 2,058,280

RATIO CALCULATOR I 7 Filed Ma 16, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 31 3 wjy EE lDIVIDEND I 2 3 4 5 6 7 min m m nim IIEZIEE nazms m R. E. W ELI-s RATIOCALCULATOR Filed May 16', 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 20, 1936.

iCheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 16, 1932 6 MW/ 3 4 6 w 6 8 a 5 6 5 6 l w N 4 wZ 9- 9 L w H Oct. 20, 1936.. R, WELLS 2,058,280

RAT IO CALCULATOR Filed May 16, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fwen/Hm":

RE. M e/Zs Patented Oct. 20, 1936 PATENT OFFICE RATIO CALCULATOR RoyErnest Wells, Roseville, near Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaApplication May 16, 1932, Serial No. 611,726 In Australia June 22, 1931I 2 Claims. (Cl. 235-61) This invention relates to improvements in meansfor progressively computing and visually indicating dividend values suchas would be payable .in respect of each of a plurality of horses orother racing. units, in connection with a race totalizator orodds-computing machine or for progressively computing the ratio betweenany two varying numbers or quantities.

The present invention is applicable to any of the well knowntotalizators wherein movement may be obtained from the usual ticketselling machines or the like provided on such machines.

The invention comprises logarithmic cam mechanism adapted to be operatedby the usual mechanism provided upon a race totalizator for computingthe total number of investments made during a particular race, and aplurality of logarithmic cam mechanisms each adapted to controlmechanism for visually indicating the price payable for an investmentupon a particular horse in the race and adapted to be operated by orfrom the usual mechanism provided upon the totalizator for computing thetotal number of investments placed upon the respective horses.

The invention is provided with a main shaft which is mounted in suitablebearings and has keyed thereto a cam shaped member plotted to alogarithmic curve. This member which is termed the total investment camis adapted to engage a stop which is slidable along a groove in asupport or frame capable of adjustment relatively to the shaft.

Preferably the stop is adapted to be moved slowly along a slot in thesupport in a radial direction away from the shaft by means of a worm orother gearing operated from the well known mechanism provided on atotalizator for computing the total number of investments that have beenmade on a particular race.

The total investment cam and its stop are kept in engagement by. torqueapplied to the shaft by any preferred means, such as a weight disposedupon the end of a cord which has been wrapped round a grooved pulleymounted upon the shaft.

Means are provided whereby the stop mechanism may be disengaged when itis desired to return the stop to zero, or when the stop passes beyondcontact with the cam.

In addition to the above mechanism, price indicating mechanism isprovided one of which is necessary in respect of each horse or unittaking place in the race. Each price indicating mechanism is providedwith a support or frame for a sliding stop adapted to be moved along aslot by means of worm or other gearing from the ticket selling mechanismusually provided in a totalizator, of the kind referred to and wherebythe total investments made upon the particular horse are registered.

The support or frame for the respective price indicating mechanism isadapted to be connected to the main shaft by a suitable clutch so thatany one of such mechanisms may be thrown out of action when desired; forinstance when a horse is scratched. Provision is also made for freeingthe stop mechanism when it is to be returned. to

zero.

In the case of the individual price indicating mechanisms the respectivestops are engaged by a cam also plotted to a logarithmic curve,henceforth referred to as the individual horse cam. Each individualhorse cam is loosely mounted upon the main shaft and has connectedtherewith logarithmic conversion gearing adapted to convert logarithmicdividend values into ordinary values.

The individual horse cams are so arranged that they rotate in theopposite direction to the total investment cam when actuated by theirrespective control mechanisms, but are forced round in the samedirection as the total investment cam, by means of their stops whichrotate round the main shaft in unison with the total investment cam.Hence the degree of movement of the respective individual horse camsfrom their respective starting positions is the logarithmic dividend inrespect of each individual horse at any instant.

The logarithmic dividend is converted to ordinary value by conversiongearing which may comprise a disc cam and mechanism utilizing areciprocating movement capable of being imparted to the dividend displaydrums of the totalizator.

In order that the invention will be more readily understood referencewill now be made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the upper portion of a knowntotalizator structure wherein provision is made for displaying the cashdividend obtained in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic view showing the mechanism whereby movementderived from the total investment mechanism of a known totalizator andthe respective total horse computing means thereof, is transmitted tothe dividend display apparatus of the said totalizator.

Figure 3 is an enlargement in perspective of one of the dividend displayapertures seen in Figure 1, showing in broken lines the dividend displaydrums which however do not form part of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a schematic view of the apparatus whereby the resultantmovement imparted by the mechanism shown in Figure 6 is conveyed to thedividend display drums seen in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the means provided forreleasing the stop mechanism associated with the respective logarithmiccams.

Figure 6 shows in elevation the disc cam employed for converting thelogarithmic dividend into a reciprocating movement capable of beingimparted to the dividend display drums seen in Figures 1 and 3.

Figure 7 is an enlarged elevation of the inner portion of the mechanismcontrolling movement of the stop engaged by the total investment cam.

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional elevation of a portion of the drivemechanism employed to actuate the stops 53.

Figure 9 is an elevation of the free wheel sprocket seen in Figure 8.

Figure 10 illustrates diagrammatically an alternative method to thatshown in Figure 6 whereby the resultant movement imparted by themechanism seen in Figure 1 may be transmitted to the dividend displaydrums.

Figure 11 is a diagram of the motor circuit.

Figure 12 is a longitudinal section of the apparatus shown by Fig. 2.

Figure 13 is an end view of Fig. 2.

The invention will now be described as applied to one of the horses in arace.

The main shaft 9 which is mounted in suitable bearings in the knowntotalizator frame or in a suitable frame adjacent thereto has keyed toit a cam shaped member I0 termed the total investment cam plotted to alogarithmic curve. This cam I0 is adapted to engage a stop I I which isslidable along a slot I2 in a support in the form of a pair of discs II2loosely mounted upon the shaft 9 and adjustable with relation thereto asby means of a bracket I3 and a removable pin I4, which latter is adaptedto engage one of the respective holes I5 in the discs H2. The object ofthe above adjusting means is to allow of a part rotation of the discs II2, cam member I0 and the shaft 9, to provide for percentage reductionscalled for by Government tax, running expenses and the like.

If necessary, three stops II and associated mechanism may be providedfor each cam I0, said stops being operable respectively in slots I2, 33,34, disposed radially around the shaft 9; in which case the respectivemechanisms are geared together in order to operate the stops II in apredetermined ratio so that they will be engaged successively by the camI0.

The stop II of Figs. 2 and 13 is adapted to be moved along the slot I2in a radial direction away from the shaft 9 by means of a screwed rod I6upon which the stop I I is mounted. The screwed rod I6 is carried inbearings I1 mounted upon one of the discs I I2. One of the bearings I1is shown more clearly in Figure 5.

On the lower end of the screwed rod I6 is a spur wheel I8 (see Figure7), which meshes with a thin spur wheel I9 disposed upon the lower endof an operating rod which is given rotary movement from a spur wheel 2Iand a pinion 22 by means of bevel wheels 23 and 24. The pinion 22 ismounted upon a spindle which projects from the disc I25. The spur wheel2I is loose on the shaft 9 and has coupled thereto a sprocket wheel 25which is connected by a chain II3 with the well known total investmentmechanism of the totalizator. The bevel wheel 24 is adapted to bebrought out of engagement with the bevel wheel 23 when it is desired toprevent further movement of the stop II along the slot I2 or in caseswhere it is desired to return the stop II to the zero or startingposition in the slot I2. To this end a collar 26 is provided on the rod20 and rests upon a pin 27 on a lever 28 pivoted to the disc II2.

A spring 29 tends to raise the inner end of the lever 28 and the pin 21carried thereby. The operating rod 20 would be also raised by the spring29 were it not for the fact that the lever 28 is held down by theengagement of a pin 30 thereon, by a pivoted lever 3| also carried uponthe disc H2, The upper end of the second lever 3| is adapted to beengaged by the stop II which partly tilts the lever 3I and disengagesthe pin 30. The rod 20 is now free to rise and disengage the bevel wheel24 from the bevel wheel 23 with which it is normally engaged by thespring 32, preventing further movement of the particular stop II.

The total investment cam I0 and its stop or stops II are kept inengagement by torque applied to the shaft 9 by means of the weight 35, acord 36 and a pulley 31, around the periphery of which the cord ispassed.

By this means the cam I0 follows the movement of the stop or stops I Iand in turn causes a partial rotation of the shaft 9 and the partsmounted thereon.

In order to obtain the geared ratio between the respective stops II, thefirst of the screwed rods I6 is driven from the spurwheel 2I, which isdisposed behind the disc I25, by the pinion 22 as described above. Thesecond screwed rod H6 is rotated at one tenth of the speed of thescrewed rod I6 by the following gearing. A pinion I22, which meshes withthe spur wheel 2|, carries a worm I23 which turns a worm wheel I24secured to the spindle I20 of the mechanism of the second stop 2II. Thisspindle I20 carried a thin spur wheel II9 corresponding to the wheel I9on the spindle 20. The wheel II9 engages a pinion IIB secured to thesaid screwed rod IIS and en sures its rotation at the desired reducedspeed.

Consequently as the cam I0 leaves the stop II it has already engaged thestop 2II which continues to function until it reaches the upper end I ofthe screwed rod IIB when the cam leaves it and functions with a thirdstop, if provided, the third stop being connected in a similar manner tothat described with reference to stops II and 2 II to move at onehundredth of the speed of the stop II.

Each of the stop mechanisms is provided with disconnecting mechanism torelease their respective gear wheels I9 and H9 from their companions I8and H8 respectively. The release mechanism for the second stop 2I I isindicated by the numerals I26, I21, I28, I29, I30, and I3I correspondingto 26, 21, 28, 29, 30 and 3I with respect to the stop II.

If the several stops are operated in the ratio of ten to one withrespect to each other the sec 0nd one will rotate th the rate of thefirst, and the third th the rate of the second, in which case theangular spacing between the slots wherein the stops are mounted in discII2 would be in accordance with the angular relation between thelogarithmic position of ten, one hundred, and one thousand, respectivelyon a logarithmic scale plotted to the same scale as that used in forming the cam. Thus the second stop would be moved to contact with the camwhen the first stop has reached the point representing one hundredinvestments and has been thrown clear of the cam by the means shown inFigure 5.

The second stop will then control the movement of the cam to a pointrepresenting one thousand investments and the third stop if providedwill have worked out to the position to engage the cam and control itsmovement to ten thousand.

A sleeve 44 loose on the shaft 9 is rotated from that portion of atotalizator of the kind referred to and provided to compute the totalinvestments upon a particular horse by means such as a ratchetclutch-free wheel sprocket 43 and chain I'I'5, see Figs. 2, 8 and 9.

The sleeve 44 upon which the inner portion of the ratchet sprocket wheel43 is mounted is loose upon the shaft 9 and carries a spur wheel 40adapted to drive the stop mechanism through the medium of a pinion 48(see Figs. 2 and 8) of the individual horse cam 52 and associated mechanism disposed upon a disc 5i and similar to that described withreference to the disc l I2. The disc Si is loose upon the shaft 9 but isadapted to be clamped to a collar 49 by a band 50, the collar 49 beingfixed to the shaft 9. The cam 52 which is mounted fast upon a sleeve onthe shaft 9, is maintained in contact with the stop 53 by means of thetorque applied to the disc 38 fastened to 55 by a Weight 39. A counterbalance weight 54 is suspended from the periphery of disc 5| to balancethe effect produced by the weight 39 on shaft 9.

The sleeve 55 also has secured thereto a CllS-J 56 having a cam track 51(see Figure 6) also plotted to a logarithmic curve. A guide plate 58which is fixed with relation to the sleeve 55 and shaft SI and throughwhich they pass, is provided with a slot 59 in which a cam follower 60is adapted to be moved by 51 with which it is engaged.

The stop 60 is connected by cords 6! and 6?. with a sleeve 63 (Figure 4)screwed upon a rod 64 carrying a spur wheel 55. It will be observed onreferring to Figure 4 that the cords BI and 62 pass over pulleys 66 andterminate with the weights 61 which keep the cords in tension.

The rod 64 is slidably mounted in bearings 68 and engages a forked lever69' one end of which has a weighted cord 10 tending to exert a pull uponthe rod 64. The cord 16 is passed round a pulley H on the shaft of whicha switch arm 12 is mounted. The switch arm 12 carries two contactsections I10 and I12 and is adapted to be moved into engagement with oneor other of the pairs of contacts 13, I14 or 14, I13 according to theposition of the switch arm 12 as effected by the movement of the camstops ii and 53, Figure 2, whereby the cam 56 and stop 60 arecontrolled.

The contacts 13, I13 are connected by wire I15 and the contacts 14, I14are connected by wire I16, the wires I15 and I16 being connected to amotor I11, in well known manner. The positive and negative wires I18 andI19 are connected to the respective ends of the switch arm 12 the twoends being sepaated by suitable insulation. It will be seen from thediagram that as the arm 12 is moved from one side to the other thedirection of current supplied to the motor H1 is reversed. The electricmotor is geared to a shaft 15 by a spur wheel 16 and the shaft 15 ismounted in bearing brackets 11 at the back of a panel 18 provided todisplay the cash dividend values by means of the cash dividend drums 19,60, 81 and 82. A relay switch system may be employed whereby a lowvoltage current may be used to actuate solenoids controlling a highvoltage motor switch.

As previously pointed out, the electric motor I11 is geared at 16 to theshaft 15. The motor is controlled by the switch arm 12, which engagescontact 13 or 14 when said arm is moved to right or left by means. ofthe screw-rod 64 according to the direction of movement imparted to thecam stop 60 by the cam 51. The electrical connection joining therespective pairs of contacts 13 and 14 to the motor are so arranged asto cause the motor to be set in operation immediately either pair ofsaid contacts is bridged by the switch arm 12; and the motor willcontinue to rotate until the switch arm has been returned to its.neutral position. In performing this operation the rotation of the motoris transmitted to the display drums 1982, through the shaft 15,elongated pinion 93, spur wheel 84, sprocket chain and gear Bit-61 tothe shaft 93, on which are mounted the display drums. Movement of thedisplay drums in either direction is thereby directly governed byrotation of the electric motor, which is rotated in one direction or theother, according to movement of switch arm 12 resulting from the raisingor lowering of the stop 60 by the cam 51.

The shaft 15 carries an elongated pinion 83 which meshes with the pinionand also with a spur wheel 84 mounted upon a shaft 85. At the rear ofthe spur wheel 84 a sprocket wheel, not shown, is mounted. Thissprocket. wheel is connected by a chain 86 with a sprocket wheel 81 onthe pence drum 19, which in turn drives the units shillings drum 60 bymeans of star wheel 88, shaft 89, sprockets 90 and 9| and chain 92.

The units shillings drum 80 which is also loose upon the drum shaft 93,drives the tens shillings drum BI by means of pin 94, star wheel 95,shaft 96, sprocket wheel 91, chain 98 sprocket wheel 99 on the drum 8!.The tens shillings drum 81 in turn drives the pounds drum 82 by starwheel I00, sprocket Ifll, chain 102 and sprocket I03. Similarly a tenspounds drum may be driven by the pounds drum. Any other well known meansmay be used for operating the relative movement of the individual drums.

Figure 10 serves to indicate diagrammatically alternative means wherebythe movement imparted to stop 69 by the disc cam 56 can be transmittedto dividend indicating apparatus similar to that illustrated by Figure4. The stop 60 in this case is mounted on a screwed spindle I04 whichhas fast on it a friction wheel I05 and a pinion I06 slidably keyedthereto. The wheel I95 is adapted to engage two constantly rotatingdiscs I01 and I08 situated adjacent to the wheel I05 and rotating inopposite directions.

When the stop 60 is moved by the disc cam 56 or by weights 61 thespindle I04 is raised or lowered accordingly, thus bringing the wheelI05 into frictional engagement with one or other of the discs I01 andI08, and thereby causing the pinion I06 to be rotated in one or theother direction. Any appropriate means maybe adopted for utilizingrotation of the pinion I06 tooperate the display mechanism through thegear 84.

Briefly the invention operates as follows:-

When the shaft 9 turns as previously explained the disc 5I also turnsand owing to the contact made between the stop 53 and the cam 52, thelatter also turns carrying with it the sleeve 55 in a logarithmicmovement which may be used to indicate the odds on a particular horse orwhich may be converted by the cam disc 56 and associated mechanism intoreciprocating movement utilizable for indicating the odds upon aparticular horse.

It will be observed that when the shaft 9 moves, the disc 5| is moved inan anti-clockwise direction and the stop 53 tends to move the cam 52 andits sleeve 55. However, when the particular free wheel sprocket 43 isrotated from the particular horse investments mechanism it rotates thesleeve 44 and the wheel 40 which is geared with the stop mechanism 45and moves the latter causing a movement of the cam in the oppositedirection to that imparted to it by the shaft 9.

For instance if the cam l moves the shaft in an anti-clockwise directionthrough 50 the disc moves 50 in an anti-clockwise direction. Then if abet is made upon a horse represented by the disc 5| the stop 53 will beadvanced outwardly to allow the cam 52 to move the sleeve 55 say 40 in aclockwise direction. The resultant movement of cam 52 from its originalposition will be which movement would represent the logarithmicdividend. The present invention has been devised to utilize theresultant movement of cam 52 caused by combined movements of disc 5| andstop 53 at any one instant, for indicating the odds on a particularhorse at that moment.

The apparatus may be zeroized for instance by returning the stops II and53 to their original positions. This may be effected by suitable meanssuch as springs.

It will be appreciated that as many price indicating mechanisms as arerequired may be mounted upon the main shaft 9 but if such arrangement isnot convenient the main shaft 9 may be formed in several portions gearedto operate in unison. In use when an investor wishes to know the pricehe is likely to receive upon any particular horse, all that is necessaryis to inspect the respective price indicating drums 19 to 82 or the likeupon which the price payable is displayed, no calculation or otherinvestigation being necessary.

It is to be appreciated that various modifications may be made withinthe scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

I claim:

1. A ratio calculator for computing dividend values in respect ofracehorses, comprising a horizontally supported shaft; a logarithmic cammounted on said shaft, and mean to transmit movement from knownmechanism for registering the total number of investments on a race tosaid logarithmic cam, a second logarithmic cam afiixed to means mountedloosely on said shaft and to which movement of the first mentioned camis imparted, said second cam being operated independently of the shaft,by means which transmit movement from known mechanism for registeringthe total number of investments on a particular horse, means fordisplaying the ratio determined by said logarithmic mechanism, and meansoperated by said second cam and including a follower for transmitting tothe display means the resultant logarithmic movement of the secondlogarithmic cam.

2. A ratio calculator for computing dividend values in respect ofracehorses, comprising a horizontally supported rotary shaft, a firstlogarithmic cam fast on said shaft, a disc loosely mounted on said shaftand provided with means whereby the disc is held adjustably on the shaftand against rotation thereon, said disc having therein a radial slot, amovable stop guided in the slot of said disc and in engagement with saidcam,

rotary mechanism on said shaft for moving the stop outwardly in theslot, and means for transmitting rotary movement from known mechanismfor registering the total number of investments on a race to said rotarymechanism to move the stop, a sleeve mounted loosely on said shaft, anda second logarithmic cam fast on said sleeve, a second disc fast on saidshaft, adjacent to said second cam and having a radial slot, a stop forthe second cam disposed in the slot in said second disc, mechanismloosely mounted on the shaft for moving the stop for the second cam, andmeans for transmitting movement from known mechanism for registering thetotal number of investments on a particular horse to said looselymounted mechanism, means for translating into uniform movement theresultant movement imparted to the sleeve of the second logarithmic cam,means for displaying the ratio determined by said logarithmic cams, andmeans for transmitting to said display means the said resultantmovement.

ROY ERNEST WELLS.

